


Precious Words

by TheCityLightShow



Series: Prompt Fills [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: A Maria Stark Gala, Always-A-Girl Tony, Established Relationship, Fluff, recovering Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 00:10:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8348323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCityLightShow/pseuds/TheCityLightShow
Summary: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite that many colours of lipstick on a person before.” She told him, stage whisper, with a nod at a lady on the dance-floor. Bucky watched with a frown on his face, but saw immediately what Toni meant when her partner twirled them round. Bucky struggled not to choke on the sip of his drink, grinning as Toni laughed at his reaction. “I mean, I own that many colours, but all at once? I can’t tell one from the other!” she continued, and Bucky found himself watching her as opposed to the lady on the dance-floor. He glanced back at the dance-floor when she looked at him though.
“I see your lipstick lady and raise you the eye-shadow of the lady chatting up Stevie.” He tipped his glass in their general direction, and Toni had to put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EuterpesChild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EuterpesChild/gifts).



> The second fic for the prompt: fem! Bucky/Tony, "I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite that many colours of lipstick on a person before.” [Though in this one, only Tony is a girl], as it just wouldn't leave me alone.

Bucky stayed around the edge of the ballroom, left hand pinned between himself and the wall, the other fisted inside the pocket of his suit.

Once upon a time he’d loved crowds of people, had thrived in them when all he needed was a charming smile and the right string of words to hook people. Now, he barely knew how to smile any more, and words were something he held close to his chest. They’re precious now that he’s allowed to use them again, and he hates feeling like he’s wasting them.

He took a deep breath, and went back to surveying the throngs of people in the ballroom for the annual Maria Stark Summer Gala. It was a big affair, and the Avengers were in attendance to try and help Toni earn donations to the charity, which mainly helped out in the wake of their battles now. “ _An irritatingly full time job._ ” Toni had told him, last week in the lab when he brought her down coffee. She’d persuaded him to stay – not that it took any more than her starting to ask, now – and they’d discussed everything from Barton’s vent habit to Stark Industries latest figures. With Toni, it never felt like he was wasting his words, no matter what he said. She took everything in stride, and for someone who’d grown up demanding attention, she listened to every word. It was part of the reason he’d been able to move on, work on being himself – whoever that may be now – and on being an Avenger.

The other reason? The date she’d promised for when he felt ready. Three dates and a wonderfully sweet kiss later, he felt like it might just work. They hadn’t told the team yet, but it seemed like a matter of when, not if.

Bucky scanned the ballroom for her, smiling when he found her, off to one side with Steve and a group of people. From the distance he couldn’t lip-reading what they were talking about, but the smile on Toni’s face was obvious. He felt his own lips curve up automatically, and ducked his gaze before someone caught him staring. He suddenly felt self-conscious, and for lack of any other way to hide, he made his way carefully to the bar and ordered himself a drink to occupy his hands.

He leant against the bar with the double scotch he’d been given, and before he could scan the crowd for the team again, Toni sidled up next to him

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite that many colours of lipstick on a person before.” She told him, stage whisper, with a nod at a lady on the dance-floor. Bucky watched with a frown on his face, but saw immediately what Toni meant when her partner twirled them round. Bucky struggled not to choke on the sip of his drink, grinning as Toni laughed at his reaction. “I mean, I own that many colours, but all at once? I can’t tell one from the other!” she continued, and Bucky found himself watching her as opposed to the lady on the dance-floor. He glanced back at the dance-floor when she looked at him though.

“I see your lipstick lady and raise you the eye-shadow of the lady chatting up Stevie.” He tipped his glass in their general direction, and Toni had to put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh.

“Oh god, she looks like someone out of Ru Paul’s drag race...” She muttered, and Bucky made a mental note to look that up later – though with the make-up she was wearing he wasn’t sure he wanted to. She grinned up at him. “You’re on Barnes. What about Ms Gambles’ shoes?”

Bucky didn’t know who Ms Gamble was, but it didn’t take long to find the shoes Toni meant: a bright lurid green, with a large pink flower stuck to the straps like some misshapen lily pad. “Good camouflage for a pond.” He commented idly, and Toni sniggered, leaning into him a little. “Who’s the man in the glass suit?” Bucky asked.

It took Toni a moment to find who he meant, but her face significantly brightened when she found the poor bastard. The jacket was ill fitting, mostly on account of the shards of mirror sewn onto the collar and lapels. There were men who could possibly carry such an outfit off, but this man had a slightly pinched face and black hair slicked back in a way that didn’t look as cool as Mirror Man probably thought it did. “That’s _Hammer_.” Toni giggled. “Looking like an ass, as always.”

Her laughter didn’t stop for their entire conversation – had anyone chose to listen, they might have taken offence on behalf of the people they were mocking. Their jokes were outrageous, and Bucky had a new list of references to discover, but it was their own fault for wearing such- “expensive garbage! Actually, that’s an insult to Lady Gaga, but c’mon! High Society used to be about true class! Give me a Van Dyne any day...” Toni exclaimed eventually.

The Gala was tapering off. Some of the guests had left, and many had sat to the sides. The dance floor wasn’t as full as it had been three hours ago, the music significantly slower, the odd couple still swaying along, including – “Sweet Jesus, that is hideous.” Toni muttered, and Bucky had to agree. The dress was a vibrant orange, making the elderly woman caked in just as orange fan tan wearing it looked like a pumpkin, with a band of purple around the middle. How’d they missed her before, Bucky didn’t know.

When the couple span though, Bucky couldn’t help the laugh that slipped out. Her husband was in a violet suit and a bright orange tie, looking like he’d rather be anyone else. Toni was laughing too, supporting herself on Bucky's shoulder, though she got a hold of herself before he did.

“I’ve never heard you laugh outside the workshop.” She told him quietly, and Bucky thought for a moment, realising she was right. He finished off the drink in his hand and glanced around with a grin.

“You do bring out the best in me, doll.” He told her, but didn’t look to see her reaction. He caught Steve smiling at him in wonder a little way away, over Natasha's shoulder, and then his face split into a grin. Bucky wanted to ask the punk what the hell he was grinning at, when Toni gently but firmly grasped his jaw and turned his head, only to pull him down into a kiss. Bucky flailed for a brief second, but got with the program when she didn’t let go. There was whooping and whistling from various Avengers, but Bucky simply flipped them off in the direction Steve had been. Toni pulled back to grin at him.

“Thank God for Mrs Tyson’s lipstick.” She muttered and pulled him back down.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to give me a prompt, send me an ask at my **[tumblr](http://thecitylightshow.tumblr.com/)** , and I'll get to it soon!


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